Parlor base-ball apparatus.



No. 819,212. PATBNTED MAY 1, 1906. H. A. FILER. PARLOR BASE BALL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-5. 1905.

HERBERT A. FILER, OF KENSINGTON, MARYLAND.

PARLOR BASE-BALL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1906.

Application filed October 5, 1905. Serial No. 281,509. i

To all w/umt 7'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT A. FILER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ken sington, Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ParlorBasc- Ball Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in parlor or indoor base-ball game apparatus and the object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this type which may be played by sides and in which the regular operations of pitching, catching, and batting may be indulged in without danger to the furnishings of the parlor or other room occupied.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of the board or table upon which the game is played, and Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the preferred form of bat.

In the drawings the numeral 3 designates the board, which may be of any desired size and preferably of rectangular shape, corresponding approximately to the shape of the ordinary ball field. It is preferably provided with a recess edge flange 4, extending around the entire field with the exception of a space 5 directly in rear of the catchers position. The board is provided with the usual foul-lines 6, extending from the home plate, and at the bases are located recesses or the like designed to receive and retain the pieces or men, (indicated at T.) A small recess or depression 8 is formed in the board just immediately in front of the home plate, while a slightly-larger recess is provided in proximity to the first base, as indicated at 9, near the second base, as indicated at 10, in the shortstops position, as shown at 11, and adjoining third base, as shown at 12. Still larger recesses or depressions 13, 14, and 15 are provided corresponding to the positions occupied by the outfielders. Flanges 16 and 17 divide the outfield into spaces 16 and 17, the function of which will hereinafterappeaix The ball which is used is preferably a small leather-covered ball 18, though I do not limit myself in this respect. It is secured by a flexible connection or cord 19 to the center of the board. The bat is indicated at 20 and is preferably of flexible or elastic material and of suitable shape, as shown.

In playing the game one person, represent ing the pitcher, takes his stand at the foot of the table, while the batter stands at the head with the bat 20 in his hand. The pitcher must throw the ball so that it will pass clear of the board and between the pegs 21, in which event the batter endeavors to strike it. If it be thrown clear of the board and between the pegs, it is called a strike, whether the batter strikes at it or not. If it strikes the board or passes outside of the pegs, it is a ball. If the batter strikes the ball and it drops, into any one of the infield or outfield recesses, the ball is regarded as having been caught by a fielder on the fly and the batter is out. If the batted ball strikes the board inside of the diamond and passes into either of the recesses representing the infield players, the pitcher must then throw the ball into the recess at first base. If he succeeds in doing this, the batter is out; otherwise he is safe. If the ball be batted so that it strikes the board outside of the diamond, but inside of the flange 16, it is a base-hit, and the batter is entitled to place his game-piece upon first base. The pitcher must then serve the ball into the second-base recess in order to prevent the batter from making a two-base hit. If the ball be batted so that it lands in either of the spaces 16, it is a two-base hit and the batter is entitled to advance his piece to second, and likewise if the ball drops in either of the spaces 17 it is a three-base hit. In the former case the pitcher must serve the ball to third base and in the latter to the home recess to prevent the batter from taking an extra base. If the ball be knocked completely over the edge of the board or table at either end or sides, it is regarded as a hit to the pitcher, who can catch the ball on the fly, or if he fail to do so can serve it to first base. The ordinary rules regarding foul will of course epply- Having thus described my lnvention, what I claim is- 1. A table for parlor base-ball having a miniature base-ball-field diagram, a small pocket or recess in proximity to the home plate, larger pockets in proximity to the first base,

second base, short-stop and third, still larger pockets in positions corresponding to those ing in diameter from the infield to the out- 10 of the outfielders, and spaces bounded by field, substantially as described. raised flanges in the outfield and beyond the In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature larger pockets for indicating two-base and in presence of two witnesses.

three-base hits, substantially as described.

2. A parlor base-ball game apparatus com- HERBERT FILER prising a table having a miniature base-ball Witnesses: diagram, recesses or pockets for the infield C. S. MIDDLETON,

and outfield positions, said recesses mcreas- HENRY E. COOPER. i 

